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i am having the same issues with my sons troop. they the other scoutmasters keep telling him he cant do it. violates the buddy rule. the worst one they use is that he will be cold. last meeting the talk was on winter camping and staying warm. my so raised his hand and said thats simpole use a full uq. i loved it and the looks he got wow. so i bought a coppy of the ulta met hang by derek my hero to give the scoutmaster tomarrow at our campout at trappers in newton ks. i dont want to cause waves in our troop. but both my son and i will be loyal hangers in the piney woods. if any other scouters out there know of a hard and fast no hammock rules in scouts please let me know before i make the tent croud mad.

It is up to your district. Our district actually has released hammock rules. They use the LNT rules and all that. Best thing would be to ask your district exec.

I've been a SM for about 5years. Last year I got into hanging and as a winter project had the Troop do DIY hammocks. During a week backpacking trip to the Porquee Pine mountains with a group on 4 laeders and 9 Scouts all but 2 were using hammocks. On the first campout of 2012 almost all the Scouts wanted to try out their DIY hammocks. We will see how many use their hammocks this spring.

Boy do I love this forum. Every one here is so helpful and polite Evan to my questions. Thank you

Glad to help.

Originally Posted by perdidochas

Are your district's rules posted online somewhere?

Unfortunatly I could not find it on our website. It was listed in our news letter that comes out weekly but is not listed there now as it was first put on there many months ago. If I find it I will send you a link via pm.

HAMMOCK POLICY - The GAC Forestry Management Committee has adopted a new policy for hammock use at GAC camps. This policy can be used as a "Best Practices" teaching opportunity for both youth and adults.

* Selects trees with "tough" bark such as oak, hickory or pine over trees with "thin" bark such as maple or dogwood
* Securing the hammock must be temporary. No nails, eye bolts, screws, etc. put in trees at any time.
* 1 1/2 "-2" tension straps are approved and recommended over rope.
* Secure hammocks to trees 8" in diameter or larger.

Sent the link to him via pm but thought I would post here for any who might want to know it. Note GAC is Greater Alabama Council.

Just went to a Webelos open house at a local Troop with my son. I asked about hammocks. They said not for first years. They must bunk up with another Scout. When I told my son he went "what? No way". He has already made up his mind to join the troop his older brother went thru. They are as restrictive. Good boy.

i am having the same issues with my sons troop. they the other scoutmasters keep telling him he cant do it. violates the buddy rule. the worst one they use is that he will be cold. last meeting the talk was on winter camping and staying warm. my so raised his hand and said thats simpole use a full uq. i loved it and the looks he got wow. so i bought a coppy of the ulta met hang by derek my hero to give the scoutmaster tomarrow at our campout at trappers in newton ks. i dont want to cause waves in our troop. but both my son and i will be loyal hangers in the piney woods. if any other scouters out there know of a hard and fast no hammock rules in scouts please let me know before i make the tent croud mad.

Hello, Sand Springs,

I am a scoutmaster of a troop in Tulsa/Broken Arrow. I have been hammock camping since 2005. I have only had to go to ground on one trip since then, and that was at Philmont where the rules revolve around Bear safety. We go to Trappers every year. There would be a mutiny if we did not go. I can hang quite comfortably down to around 20 degrees. All it takes, as with everything in Scouting, is gear and skill. Both are readily available. Let me know how it goes. I still get strange looks from other scouters when I hang my hammock at camporee and Webelos Woods.